Bill Burk passes away

[gast-20081107]

R.I.P Bill

[Sandra]

So schade es auch ist, er hat immer so tolle Geschichten erzählt, aber nach schwerer Krankheit endlich erlöst zu sein, er muss nicht mehr leiden R.I.P.

[Tommy Cashels72]

R.I.P Bill Burk

[michael grasberger]

ich kannte bill burk nur aus dem aek forum bzw. der aek lounge (wo es zuletzt noch hieß, es ginge ihm wieder besser), aber dort fiel er durch seine schlagfertigkeit, seinen witz und seine kompetenz in sachen musik auf. er war sich auch nicht zu schade, völlig unbekannten (wie mir) per pn irgendwelche spezialinfos oder launige bemerkungen zukommen zu lassen.
r.i.p. bill
& rock on in heaven!

[jack77]

uff Ich find grad gar keine Worte.

R.I.P. Bill :traurig:

[Reinhold]

RIP 007

[walk-a-mile-in-my-shoes]

ich habe bill burk leider nie persönlich kennengelernt, aber ich war seit gut 20 jahren ständig mit ihm in kontakt, einmal mehr, einmal weniger - aber der kontakt ist nie wirklich abgerissen. zwei oder drei tage bevor die mail von connie kam, dass bill in's krankenhaus eingeliefert wurde, hat er noch ein mail von mir persönlich beantwortet, es muss also dann alles ziemlich schnell gegangen sein.

sein "elvis world" magazin habe ich immer gerne gelesen, genauso wie all seine bücher, in denen er gut recherchiert mit so manchem mythos in der elvis-welt aufgeräumt hat. er hatte noch viele pläne für die zukunft, wie er mir geschrieben hat, aber das zählt jetzt alles nichts mehr ...

RIP - 007 :traurig:

[MARIE]

Er war ins krankenhaus um behandelt zu werden weil er wasser in der lunge hatte.War schon wieder von der intensiv station und es ging ihm besser als er ein herzstilstand bekam die länger dauerte.Er hätte nicht weiter leben wollen mit hirnschäden.So hat sein familie dementsprechend gehandelt.

RIP BILL

[MARIE]

BILL EUGENE BURK, 75, Good Evening columnist at the Memphis Press-Scimitar when the newspaper closed in 1983, passed away April 24, 2008, at Baptist Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. He was agraduate of Southside High School (1949) and Memphis State University (1958). He worked at Clover Farm Dairy, United Press International and Memphis Mirror before joining the Press-Scimitar in 1957. Bill was a gifted writer and a man of many, many talents and accomplishments. An experienced pilot, who was active in aviation circles, he founded PROPWASH magazine, which was read by pilots all over the U.S. When Elvis Presley died, Bill covered the event with his usual newsman’s tenacity and sense for “the story” nonstop fora week with little sleep, and after the Press-Scimitar closed, he became prominent in the Elvis world and founded and published ELVIS WORLD magazine, which had aworldwide readership. He authored 13 books, most of them about Elvis Presley, whom Bill first came to know in his role as a reporter and with whom he developed a friendship. He also contributed to 21 other books. In addition, he was a prolific free lance writer on many different topics. He co-hosted sports shows on Memphis radio stations WWEE and WMPS. He appeared on several television news shows and the Route 66 TV series; he also appeared infive movies and was a member of the Screen Actors Guild. During his long and varied career, Bill was Sports Information Director, Memphis State University; Public Information Officer, Air National Guard; Vice President & President, Sunbelt Public Relations Affiliates; and Public Relations/Advertising Agent for Memphis area aviation dealers. He lectured to journalism students at Memphis State University. He was Tennessee UPI Columnist of the Year twice; Scripps-Howard Columnist of the Month three times, the first journalist to win the Memphis Convention & VisitorsAward and Memphis Hotel & Sales Managers Award. He served in the Air Force and retired a Lieutenant Colonel from the Tennessee Air National Guard and saw tours of duty in Korea, Vietnam and Central America. He received the Air Force Commendation Medal in 1969 and was the first winner of the National Guard’s Minuteman Award. After a childhood and youth as an accomplished athlete in baseball, basketball and football, he enjoyed coaching various middle-school sports at St. Paul School, Graves Elementary and various others in addition to summer leagues. Bill enjoyed traveling the world and was an avid photographer. He was preceded in death by his parents Ernest Coy and Virginia Josephine Burk, his sister Carolyn Hopper, and his son Michael Burk. He is survived by his wife of 21 years, Connie Burk; former wife and friend, Frances Burk; his sons Gary Burk (Shirley) of Bella Vista, AR, Randy Burk of Horn Lake, MS, and daughter, Jennifer Royds (Paul) of Fort Lauderdale, FL; and eight grandchildren, Scott Burk, Travis Burk, Hannah Burk, Madison Willis, Megan Royds, Jesse Burk, Jessica Burk and Zachary Burk. Visitation will be from 3-6 p.m. Sunday, April 27, with funeral services 1 p.m., Monday, April 28, both at Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN. Memphis Funeral Home Poplar 901-725-0100 www.memphisfuneralhome.net

http://www.legacy.com/CommercialAppeal/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=108366418

[burroughs]

Einer der wirklich wahren Hüter der Elvis-legacy ist von uns gegangen
wir werden ihn vermissen :traurig:
mein Beileid gilt seiner Frau Connie und den Kindern

Rest in peace, Bill

[MARIE]

From Bill's local paper.

Newsman covered life, career of Elvis
Columnist wrote books on Presley, published magazine
By Amos Maki (Contact)
Saturday, April 26, 2008

Bill E. Burk was a newspaperman with a front row seat for the life and career of Elvis Presley who later kept the King alive in books and a magazine.

Mr. Burk, 75, died Thursday following a heart attack


During the last 20 years of Presley's life, Mr. Burk, a columnist for the Memphis Press-Scimitar until it closed in 1983, wrote roughly 400 stories and columns about the King's life.

And over the last 20 years he published 13 Elvis books and the quarterly Elvis World magazine.

The latest issue of the magazine was published in February and Mr. Burk's wife, Connie, said it would likely be the last.

"He's such a gifted writer it wouldn't be the same without him," she said.

Mr. Burk lived one minute from Graceland and at times visited the entertainer there. Every so often Presley would return the gesture with a visit to Mr. Burk's home.

Mr. Burk, a native Memphian who was also a international pilot and standout athlete in three sports, uncovered plenty of Elvis photos and stories, particularly from his early days.


"The Elvis I have come to know in talking to scores of his friends, classmates, teachers and neighbors since 1985 have greatly deepened my knowledge of Elvis and today I find I admire the man much more than I did during those 20 years we were neighbors," Mr. Burk said in a recent column on the Elvis Information Network.

Mr. Burk, nicknamed "007" because of the way he signed his last name, said he always enjoyed the thrill of the investigation, unearthing those personal moments with greatness that so many Memphians shared.

"He enjoyed the hunt," said Mrs. Burk.

Mr. Burk was given the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau Tourism Award in 1980. He was the first journalist to win the award that honors supporters of the tourism industry in Memphis.

He was also twice named United Press International Columnist of the Year in Tennessee.

"He was a great friend to Elvis fans and a respected journalist who covered Elvis for a number of years," said Kevin Kern, spokesman for Elvis Presley Enterprises.

Burk is also survived by two sons, Gary and Randy, and his daughter, Jennifer.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Avenue, with burial later in the week at West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery.

The family asks that any memorials be donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, stjude.org.

Contact reporter Amos Maki at 529-2351.

[gast-20100118]

naja, Kinners, es ist wirklich schön wenn der Verschiedene in den Himmel gewürdigt wird, und ich hätte ihm und seiner Familie auch wirklich noch viele tolle Jahre gewünscht - aber für die Elviswelt und the relevation of the truth war dieser Journalist ebensowenig von Nutzen wie er ein guter Bekannter geschweige denn Freund von Elvis war.

[michael grasberger]

was hat er dir denn getan, dass du dich bemüßigt fühlst, ihm ins grab nachzuspucken?
hat er deine private graceland-postkartenidylle gestört?

[TheKing]

naja, Kinners, es ist wirklich schön wenn der Verschiedene in den Himmel gewürdigt wird, und ich hätte ihm und seiner Familie auch wirklich noch viele tolle Jahre gewünscht - aber für die Elviswelt und the relevation of the truth war dieser Journalist ebensowenig von Nutzen wie er ein guter Bekannter geschweige denn Freund von Elvis war.

Ich dachte auch daran, wollte es aber angesichts seines Todes nun nicht auf das Tablett legen, aus Pietätsgründen.

[gast-20100118]

Aber vielleicht hast Du da ein anderes Empfinden dazu, ich finde jedenfalls Michael hat es trefflich formuliert!

naja nun. ist ja bekannt, dass Pietät von der braunen Fraktion quasi gepachtet wurde.